Ralph Lauren quietly shuttered its two-year-old 20,000-square-foot store last week. Other brands are expected to close boutiques in a city that has lost its luster for cash-rich mainland Chinese tourists.

After Natalie Portman condemned John Galliano, celebrities ranging from Daphne Guinness to Steve Martin took to Twitter to air their thoughts.

CELEBRITIES TWEET ABOUT GALLIANO: After Natalie Portman condemned John Galliano for uttering anti-Semitic slurs in a video released on Monday, celebrities ranging from Daphne Guinness to Steve Martin took to Twitter to air their thoughts on the now-fired Dior designer. Guinness shared with some 7,800 followers that “it is mysterious. As what little I know of John he is not racist, sensitive and has been having a struggle.” Bound by the limit of 140 characters that Twitter allows, she later added: “John is a genius, but this is insane.”

Model-turned-actress Jaime King didn’t mince words — or spare her caps lock key — when she told her 22,722 followers that “I urge all the fashion lovers to NOT PURCHASE & BAN ALL JOHN GALLIANO clothing items due [to] his anti-Semitic remarks & utter disregard.” Nicky Hilton bid “Au Revoir Galliano for Dior” in front of her nearly 320,300 followers, while British socialite Jemima Khan referred to Libya’s political riots when she mused, “Who would have thought Galliano would go before Gadhafi? Wonder if Dior will have free elections?” Martin stepped into the fashion fray with his breaking news alert to 675,000-plus followers: “Charlie Sheen and John Galliano to date. [Mel] Gibson irked.”

COMING SOON: Liya Kebede’s latest gig is on the silver screen, not the runway. In Sherry Hormann’s new flick “Desert Flower,” she plays model-turned-U.N. ambassador Waris Dirie, and the role is a natural for the 33-year-old beauty, who is also the World Health Organization’s ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. The National Geographic Entertainment flick, which also features Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall, Juliet Stevenson and Anthony Mackie, hits theaters March 18.

JUST B: Having been ingratiated in the New York art scene for decades, Agnès Troublé (better known as agnès b.) will make room for a gallery in her new Howard Street boutique. For the April 1 opening night party, the designer will showcase one piece of work from such artists as Ryan McGinness, Rostarr, Dan Colen, Ryan McGinley, Harmony Korine, José Parlá, Bast and Jonas Mekas. While their art will hang in the 500-square-foot gallery, their customized or one-of-a-kind T-shirts will be sold in the 2,500-square-foot store. (Korine seems to be getting closer to the fashion world, having just had his work featured in Urban Outfitters’ look book.)

Agnès b., who first opened a SoHo store in 1980, is eager to return to the neighborhood. To welcome the locals, underground art films will be screened in the store from time to time. Although the designer owns Galerie du Jour in Paris, the downtown shop will be the only one of her 200-plus stores that will also house a gallery.

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@rebeccaminkoff is bringing self-checkout to high fashion: The brand has partnered with @queuehop to bring its customers self-checkout options, beginning this holiday season at its SoHo store. (📷: @aurorarosephoto)